Sandfall Interactive’s founder and creative director, Guillaume Broche, has provided fascinating insights into the upcoming game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This article delves into the game's historical influences and innovative gameplay features, offering a glimpse into what players can expect from this highly anticipated title.

Real-world Influences and Gameplay Innovation

Inspiration Behind the Name and Narrative

On July 29, Guillaume Broche shared the real-world influences behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The title's first part, "Clair Obscur," draws from the French artistic and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which has significantly shaped the game's artistic direction and overarching world. Broche explained, "Clair Obscur influenced the game’s artistic direction, and also refers to the overarching world of the game."

The second part, "Expedition 33," is inspired by the in-game narrative where protagonist Gustave leads an expedition to confront the Paintress, a central antagonist who paints numbers on her monolith to erase people of that age, a process known as "the Gommage." The reveal trailer poignantly illustrated this when Gustave's partner died after the Paintress painted the number 33, symbolizing her age.

Broche also drew narrative inspiration from La Horde du Contrevent, a fantasy novel about a group of explorers, and other stories about venturing into the unknown, such as the anime/manga Attack on Titan. He noted, "In general, stories about venturing into the unknown despite incredible risks have always been very appealing to me."

Innovating Classic Turn-based RPG

Broche emphasized the significance of graphics in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, highlighting the lack of recent turn-based RPGs with high-fidelity graphics. "There hasn’t really been any attempt at making a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics for a good while," he stated. "That left a deep hole in my gamer heart. We took it upon ourselves to make something to fill that void."

While past games like Valkyria Chronicles and Project X Zone have explored real-time turn-based systems, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 introduces a reactive turn-based battle system. Broche explained, "You can take time during battles to establish your strategies, but during the enemy’s turn, you will have to react in real-time to dodge, jump, or parry enemies to trigger a powerful counterattack." This innovation draws inspiration from action games like the Souls series, Devil May Cry, and NieR, aiming to bring their rewarding gameplay into a turn-based setting.

Looking Forward

Broche's insights reveal a rich tapestry of lore and narrative inspired by real-world influences, combined with groundbreaking gameplay through high-fidelity graphics and the reactive battle system. Players will enjoy both strategic planning and real-time reactions during battles, adding a new dimension to the classic turn-based RPG format.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is slated for release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2025. Although the launch is still on the horizon, Broche expressed his excitement about the game's reception, stating, "We’re glad to see so many fans are excited for the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! As our first title, we’re thrilled with the reception we’ve seen so far, and we can’t wait to show more in the lead-up to launch next year."